Leisure listings: Wednesday August 21 to Tuesday August 27

Your comprehensive guide to what’s on where in Aylesbury Vale and beyond – feel free to add events using the comment function.

WATERSIDE

Save the last dance for me

Bank Holiday Monday August 26 until Saturday August 31: A sensational rock n’ roll musical described as a cross between Dreamboats and Petticoats meets Dirty Dancing. Save the Last Dance For Me, written by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran known for their hit shows Goodnight Sweetheart, Shine on Harvey Moon and Birds of a Feather.

TOWN CENTRE

Animal farm

Thursday August 22: The countryside comes to town to give everyone a chance to feed and stroke ducks, lambs, rabbits and many more farmyard animals. Also burn off some energy on a bouncy castle. In Kingsbury from 11am-3pm.

Hobble on Cobbles

Sunday August 25: The return of Aylesbury’s popular day of live music in the Market Square 1-8pm. See front page of leisure for full details.

Farmers’ market

Tuesday August 27: A summer special farmers’ market in the Market Square joins in the Aylesbury Music and Food Festival with amazing fruit carving, a harpist to add to the atmophere plus pottery and face painting to keep the kids busy. From 9am-2pm.

COUNTY MUSEUM

Butterfly cash boxes

Today, Wednesday August 21: Summer holiday family event in the Roald Dahl children’s gallery. Decorate your own mini butterfly money box. Summer holiday activities cost £2.50 per child/participant. Adults/carers not making anything are free. Dtop in any time between 10am-12 noon or 1-3pm. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. No need to book.

Lunchtime talk

Today, Wednesday August 21: Gallery talk entitled ‘Treasures from the museum’s social history collection’ 12.30-12.50pm. Free, but voluntary donations are welcome to support the museum programme.

Mini bird houses

Thursday August 22 : Summer holiday family event in the Roald Dahl children’s gallery. Make a cosy little home for our feathered friends. Summer holiday activities cost £2.50 per child/participant. Adults/carers not making anything are free. Drop in any time between 10am-12 noon or 1-3pm. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. No need to book.

Bucks trees

Thursday August 22 : A fascinating talk exploring the county’s most notable trees, past and present, that have achieved notoriety through their great age and entanglement in local stories. 2-3pm. £5 per person, book in advance on 01296 331441.

Mugglewump

Tuesday August 27 : Summer holiday family event in the Roald Dahl children’s gallery. Make your own little cheeky mugglewump monkey to take home. Summer holiday activities cost £2.50 per child/participant. Adults/carers not making anything are free. Dtop in any time between 10am-12 noon or 1-3pm. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. No need to book.

Painting exhibition

On until October 5: Scenes of Hartwell House and its grounds displayed in the Georgian Room. A marvellous depiction of Georgian life captured by Balthasar Nebot in 1738 for Sir Thomas Lee.

Wood and woodland

On until November 2: A fascinating exhibition in the art gallery celebrating the beauty and importance of trees, featuring a wonderful array of objects

from the museum’s collections. The exhibition highlights the many and varied uses of wood, that show the skills of traditional crafts people. Explore the special walk-through wood and discover art inspired by the county’s woodlands as well as the wildlife and plants that inhabit them. There is also a woodland story corner. Free entry.

Thursday August 22, Friday 23 & Saturday 24: The Shoot Pool, Hale Leys. Every Thursday 9pm-1am jam night; every Friday 10.30pm-1am live cover/tribute bands; every Saturday from 7-10pm new original artists and from 10.30pm-1am live cover/tribute bands.

Ajare Blue

Saturday, August 24: Making a welcome return to Rivet Sports and Social Club is male & female duo Ajare Blue who have always provided an evening of pleasant and varied sounds from across the years. 8.45pm in Whitehead Way, Mandeville Road, Aylesbury. Members entry free, guests £2.

PLAY DAYS

Village locations

Today, Wednesday August 21 through to Tuesday 27: Aylesbury Vale District Council and SureStart Centres are providing a series of free play, sports and art activities for children aged from one to 11 years across the Vale parishes.

Today, Wednesday August 21, play is at Calvert Green community centre and green and at Buckingham children’s centre from 10am-12 noon; and at Pitstone recreation ground and memorial hall from 2-4pm.

On Friday August 23 play is at Waddesdon recreation ground and at Steeple Claydon children’s centre from 2-4pm.

On Tuesday August 27 play is at Stone War Memorial recreation ground (village hall if wet) from 10am-2pm; and at Slapton recreation ground from 2-4pm.

Outdoor sessions are weather dependent. Some sites may not have toilet facilities. Participants should take along their own refreshments. No need to book, just turn up. Parents must stay with and supervise their children. For more information 01296 585188.

fetes & festivals

TOWERSEY FESTIVAL

Thursday, August 22 through to Bank Holiday Monday 26.

BRILL BEER FESTIVAL

There’s so much to do this weekend you will be spoilt for choice, but if you can spare some time to visit the tenth annual Brill Beer Festival you will find a myriad of things of enjoy.Running across both days (Saturday August 24 and Sunday 25) it kicks off with a food fair from noon until 4pm on Saturday. There will also be a large selection of real ales and ciders on sale. On Saturday evening there is a dance with an Elvis tribute act, and onFunday Sunday the action includes a gathering of classic and sports cars plus sideshows and stalls.This is also the day when an exhibiiton of the Great Train Robbery will be on display, in recognition of the fact the robbers hideout was just outside the village at Leatherslade Farm.

BRILL FETE

Bank Holiday Monday, August 26: The Royal British Legion’s traditional annual country village fete in the beautiful garden of Brill House on The Green, with stunning views. Featuring Chris Whiteman’s Jubilee Jazz Band.

Stalls include cakes, pies and pastries, tombola, teas, bric-a-brac, lucky dip, produce, various draws and raffles, ice creams and bowling. Plus for the children, sports and games, a bouncy castle and a children’s dog show. 2-4pm.

OPEN GARDEN

Nether Winchendon

Bank Holiday Monday August 26 : Nether Winchendon House, a mediaeval and Tudor house is set in a stunning landscape of seven acres of garden with fine and rare trees and surrounded by parkland. The south lawn runs down to the River Thame.

Refreshments available. Open from 2-5.30pm. Admission £4, children free.

TRAINS AND ENGINES

Teddy bears’ picnic

Saturday, August 24: Family fun day with teddy bear’s picnic at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre in Quainton. Every child carrying a teddy will be admitted free. There is also a free children’s raffle to win a ride on the miniature railway. Other activities include ‘Hunt the Bear’ pictures for a small prize, a teddy bear picnic meal deal, bouncy castle, music, face painting, balloons and lolly pop giveaway. Art exhibition will also be open showing art in all types of media by centre staff, with special emphasis on the metropolitan railway.

Teddy bear days

Sunday August 25 and Bank Holiday Monday August 26: Every child carrying a teddy bear will travel free when accompanied by a fare paying adult at Chinnor and Princes Risborough railway.

Vehicle rally

Sunday August 25 and Bank Holiday Monday August 26: At the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre in Quainton. On Sunday a Rover car rally with lovingly preserved cars and motorcycles from all eras displayed in the centre’s main car park.

On Bank Holiday Monday, an amazing variety of preserved pre-1978 vehicles will be displayed in the centre’s main car park. This will include private cars, lorries and vans, motorcycles, commercial vehicles large and small, and some military vehicles. On this day you can also travel to Quainton Road or Aylesbury in an hourly Chiltern Railways heritage diesel railcar. No need to book, buy your return ticket from Quainton Road or Aylesbury stations.

Rural life museum

Bank Holiday Monday, August 26: Pitstone Green Museum is open from 11am-5pm. Housed in the buildings of an 1831 farm, with many fascinating exhibits relating to rural life, local trades/professions, engines/farm machinery, a large Crossley gas engine, science and vintage radio room, Forties room, model railways and a full size section of a WWII Lancaster Bomber. Additionally there may be tractor rides, a craft fair, country dancing, pottery demonstrations, basket weaving, lace making, a working rack saw, military/vintage vehicles and other exhibits and demonstrations. Refreshments available. Admission £6 adults, £2 children.

WADDESDON

Kids go free

August: Throughout the month of August children have free entry to the house and gardens, when accompanied by one paying adult, who can take as many children as they like. Every Wednesday in August children can also go on a free guided tour of the house from 11.15am-12 noon and see the manor through a child’s eyes with the help of a friendly steward. Booking on 01296 653226 is essential for the tour as places are limited.The grounds include a year-round woodland playground in a shady spot and offer many beautiful locations to stop for a rest and a picnic.

Wild Wednesday

Today, Wednesday August 21: There are lots of hands-on activities during ‘Wild Wednesdays’ throughout August from the National Trust’s ‘50 things to do before you are 11 and a half’. Today there is a natural treasure hunt using the environment around you. From 11am-3pm, just drop in. Ideal for children aged from 4-11. £2 per child.

Wine and food

Saturday August 24: A celebration of Bordeaux in the wine cellars and manor restaurant. An informal tasting of three fine wines followed by a four course dinner, each course accompanied by a wine from the most celebrated appellations of Bordeaux. £95 per person. Black tie. Full menu available on the website www.waddesdon.org.uk

Must book in advance 01296 653226.

Tea with music

Sunday August 25: Every Sunday throughout August enjoy afternoon tea with live music in the manor restaurant from 4pm. £23.50 (includes garden admission). Book on 01296 653226.

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